This invention relates to handling of substrates in semiconductor manufacturing and, more particularly, to an improved end effector coupled to a robot mechanism for supporting substrates.
In semiconductor manufacturing, robots are commonly used to move wafers from one location to another. For instance, robots transfer wafers between different reaction chambers for carrying out different processes. Typically, a replaceable end effector or blade is mounted to a robot for supporting a wafer. Examples of wafer handling robot systems can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,292,303, 5,569,014, and 5,655,060, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
During processing, a wafer can reach temperatures that are significantly different from the temperature of the end effector. When the end effector comes in contact with the wafer, the temperature differential produces a temperature gradient in the wafer, which can introduce thermal stresses in the wafer and cause cracking and fracture of the wafer. This results in substantial economic loss, particularly for wafers made of GsAs which are more costly than silicon wafers.